History folks, one can read every book written about history yet nothing beats eye witnesses to the event.
Before the Great Depression even got started for real there were signs of the times to come.
Me' mare had this wonderful Shelagh stick by the front door. It stayed in one spot and as a kid it was a temptation to check it out. My grandmother was born in 1895, this had to be late 50's she was about 60 something at the time a retired school teacher.
Her story to me at the time.
Back when she was a young woman the coming depression was known to the average person, they were not stupid.
Every day more and more men would go house to house in towns along any rail line asking for work, chopping wood, painting most anything for a good meal and a bed for the night in the barn.
These guys known as HOBOS road the rails, working and stealing as they went just to survive. They soon began to communicate with each other in a novel way, when they found a hostile home they made a very small mark either on the barn or house to warn those that came after them that they needed to pass this one by. Friendly places where for a days work they could get a meal and bed had another mark, places where they could get help for doing nothing but show up at the door, another mark.
Notice I use the word MARK, the same word used today by people to denote a victim.
The Shelagh was to be used to threaten off the Hobos----called tramps and thieves or Gypsy's to run off these people.
Interesting that some people seem to have an invisible Mark that draws in either violence or crooks.
First time you lend money to some one and they don't repay it, figure that as a gift. Second time they want another loan, you become a Mark. This goes for strangers, friends or family.
The color of the hat may change with time, but, a hat is a hat and we who in our ego and naivety's applaud ourselves for our generosity are just as much a Mark as those who believe they are helping others.
The road for both you and others to Hell is indeed paved on good intentions. We forget that becoming a good Samaritan also leaves to life long enabling of others to suck you dry.
Best advice my Mom ever gave me was ------Stay away from any person, male or female that is a bad luck JOE or JOAN. If everything in their life is misery, all they have is a sad story about how they are treated or mistreated in life, everything is poor me, RUN, RUN. Some of these people bring it on to themselves as they need an excuse to pray on sympathy from others.
